Google Maps relabels Lake Ontario as Lake America for US users
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
Google Maps has relabeled Lake Ontario as Lake America for users in the United States, following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on August 27. Users in Canada will continue to see Lake Ontario, while users outside the US and Canada will see both names. The change follows Google's policy of reflecting official government name changes.
Key Facts
- President Donald Trump signed an executive order on August 27 renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America.
- Google Maps users in the US will see Lake America, users in Canada will see Lake Ontario, and users elsewhere will see both names.
- Google stated the change follows its policy of updating maps to reflect name changes in official government sources, specifically the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
- Apple Maps has not yet updated the name, but adopted the Gulf of Mexico's Trump-ordered name change last year.
- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada will continue to use the old name.
The Renaming
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on August 27 renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America. The lake, part of the Great Lakes system, borders the US state of New York and the Canadian province of Ontario. The renaming followed unresolved trade negotiations between the US and Canada. Trump announced tariffs on Canadian automobiles, trucks, auto parts, and steel would rise to 50% starting next year. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada would retaliate with equivalent tariffs to protect workers, farmers, families, and businesses.
Google Maps Implementation
Google Maps now displays Lake America for users in the United States. Users in Canada will continue to see Lake Ontario. Users outside the US and Canada will see both names. Google said the update follows its long-standing policy for bodies of water with names that vary from country to country. The company cited the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), which officially changed the name earlier this week.
Reactions and Precedent
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung posted a screenshot of Google Maps showing Lake America, writing, "This is official! Lake America is on Google Maps." Apple Maps has not yet updated the name, but adopted the Gulf of Mexico's Trump-ordered name change last year. Google previously changed the Gulf of Mexico label to Gulf of America for US users. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada will continue to use the old name.
4 sources
Google Maps relabels Lake Ontario as Lake America for US users
